Prodigal Son Returns

Not quite the prodigal son returned, as he had no wealth from us that he took to sunny California to squander only to come back, head hung low, but DS is back and crashed in an upstairs bedroom. No longer his bedroom of old as that has been converted to green and blue with a white chair rail through the middle in the taste of his little sister. Pup, who never had him as "his boy" since pup didn't join our family until DS's senior year of college, still was overjoyed to greet us at the door when we walked in at 5:55 after picking him up at the airport this morning. His plane left at nearly 1:00 a.m our time, and poor guy got stuck with a middle seat, so had little sleep.  DH went back to bed after a quick hello so I am the only one up. I'll drag the hubs and youngest out of bed and to church, stopping after for a few provisions DS left behind-toothbrush, razor, and deodorant.  

We have 2:00 theater tickets in St Paul and will be going out for chinese food afterwards. This will be our first family outing since DD#1's graduation supper in December 2012.  DS brought some camera gear, plus some lights as he is going to do some photography for me and a couple family members. The first priority is to get a decent family photo. This is DH's first Christmas without his dad, so particularly good that he gets all three of his kids with him later in the week. The last two years it was just DD#2 for Christmas, and three years ago, DS was new on his then job, and had the opportunity for time and 1/2 for Christmas eve and day, so stayed in Milwaukee, though managed a long weekend home before Christmas. He was home briefly in March of '13 before he moved to Florida to go back to school, and before DD#1 went to London. That was the last time we were all five together, though DS has been home at times the older girl was not. I am a happy mom this morning, and plan on savoring the memories when I regularly had a houseful.  I'm still up, though it's very early morning, now enjoying the reality that all three kids are safe and healthy in my home. 

The last picture I have of all three-March  2013